Running head: THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC 1

The Effect of Music on Stress and Anxiety Reduction

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The Effect of Music on Stress and Anxiety Reduction

Stress and anxiety are intense emotions detrimental to human physical and mental

health but manageable by music therapy due to its powerful link to human emotions.

Previous studies reported a reduction in perceived psychological stress levels and increased

coping after listening to various kinds of music in stressful situations. Rhythmic compositions

initiate different brain cognitive processes and trigger physiological responses, including

those responsible for restoring calm during anxious and stressful encounters (Collingwood,

2016). When applied in clinical settings or otherwise, music is a powerful stress management

tool that influences brain functions to promote physiological and psychological wellness.

Music's ability to influence individuals psychologically and physiologically is an

essential tool for stress management that should be applied professionally. Biofeedback,

guided imagery, and other established techniques, critical components of music therapy, play

a crucial role in treating stress-related disorders (Collingwood, 2016).. When applied

alongside bio-feedback techniques, music helps relieve tension and facilitate relaxation.

Producing and playing music in Improvisational setups helps identify feelings associated with

stress and improve emotional response awareness, especially in group setups (Collingwood,

2016). However, the dramatic effects of various kinds of music make it necessary to have a

trained, knowledgeable therapist during treatment intervention. Music therapy encourages

individuals to explore and communicate their emotions, thereby providing crucial cathartic

release.

Music stimulates parts of the brain responsible for modulating anxiety levels induced

by stressful encounters. While string beats stimulate brainwaves to resonate with the rhythm,

causing alertness and concentration, slow beats encourage brainwaves associated with

meditative states and relaxation. A combination of rhythmic beat and sound stimulation alone

can trigger activity in sections of the brain linked to stress response's cognitive and emotional
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components. A rhythmic composition of about 60 beats per minute causes the brain to

produce alpha brain wave, which is present during relaxed and conscious moments

(Releasing stress through the power of music, n.d). Guided application of music in stress-

management therapy improves caping ability.

Listening to music stimulates networks of brain regions and centers that lower the

severity of symptoms associated with stress and anxiety. The concentration and relaxation

achieved while listening to music help reduce exponential heart rate and blood pressure levels

among people with clinical anxiety (Heid, 2020). By activating the amygdala, the brain's

intense-emotion center, music helps to stabilize emotional regulation and improve mood. For

example, severely stressed people needing a cathartic moment can attain homeostasis, an

internal state of stability, by listening to a piece of slow music. Combining music listening

with composition or instruments helps address specific areas of problematic functioning in

the brain that cause stress and anxiety.

Music has profound effects on human physical and psychological wellness. When

applied as a therapy, it helps identify and express emotions associated with stress and

improves sensitivity and awareness of emotional reactions that increase or reduce the severity

of stress and anxiety. Previous studies report that music activates brain parts networks linked

to cognitive and emotional components of stress response. While quick beats improve

alertness and concentration, slow beats promote calm and relaxation, thus lowering the

severity of anxiety symptoms, such as increased pulse rate and heartbeat. Overall, music is a

powerful emotions management tool and an intervention for various depressive and anxiety

disorders.
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References

Collingwood, J. (2016, May 17). The power of music to reduce stress. Psychcentral.

Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-power-of-music-to-reduce-stress#1

Heid, M. (2020, September 10). Music can get us through this. Elemental Medium. Retrieved

from https://eleSmental.medium.com/music-can-get-us-through-this-7af0041a607

Releasing stress through the power of music (n.d). University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved

from https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-

through-the-power-of-music#:~:text=Upbeat%20music%20can%20make%20you,for

%20relaxation%20and%20stress%20management.
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